Parliament has amended its Rules of Procedure, instituting shorter deadlines for individuals, organisations, and government bodies to respond to parliamentary committees. Ahmed Naseer, the Member of Parliament for Ihavandhoo, sponsored the motion, which was reviewed by the General Purpose Committee prior to its approval. The committee, in its findings, stated that no changes had been made to MP Naseer’s original proposals.
Central to the reforms is a reduction in the notice period for individuals, organisations, and government bodies that are mandated to appear before committees. Under the new provisions, entities are now required to comply within three days, including holidays—a significant adjustment from the previous five-day timeframe, which excluded holidays. This measure is aimed at ensuring that committees receive timely cooperation during enquiries.
Another critical change addresses the timeframe for responding to committee requests for information or documentation. Entities must now fulfil such requests within three days, including holidays, unless otherwise specified. This replaces the previous rule, which allowed five working days, excluding holidays.
During parliamentary debate, proponents of the amendments highlighted their potential to eliminate procedural inefficiencies and strengthen parliamentary oversight. The motion gained substantial support, passing with 50 votes from the 63 members present.